Hi guys,

I'm new to the forums but everyone here seems super helpful and happy to give some advice and tips. I'm looking at purchasing a 2006 S40 this weekend and I was wondering if there are any general problem areas I should be on the look out for. I had a quick browse of the forums but couldn't find anything, my apologies if this topic has already been discussed.

She is asking $2600 CAD which is about $2000 USD. I talked her down from $3K. The bike has about 8000 miles, saddle bags, regular maintenance etc. The seller has moved to another province and hasn't had the time to ride it. Her dad has been taking care of it and winterizing etc. She's had the battery changed once and both tires done and says no 'blue-ing' on the pipes. She is the second owner.

I'm really excited about the potential of owning the bike (it would be my first) but want to make sure I'm getting a good deal and have done my background of it. I'm not super knowledgeable when it comes to common issues so any and all advice is appreciated. Look forward to coming back here and learning more about the bikes and community.

Thanks,  

Thank you - Will do

Live in PA and spent a lot of time on craigslist, i got my 2005 with ~ 3K miles for $1500.  Maybe I got the deal of a lifetime, not sure. I have seen brand new ones on sale for ~$4500 so if you are going to drop that much buy a new one.
Don't rush and keep looking, jump one one quick and seal the deal when you find your price point.

Canadian retail is $6199 new. It's a good looking bike but it's nine years old.

It is hard to compare prices from State to State here in the US.....and impossible when comparing different countries and currencies.

The selection of bikes in the Cincinnati Craigslist is great - but asking prices tend to be higher than the same bike in the rural areas.

Still.......if you watch the adds for several months, have cash in hand, and are able to commit quickly - you can find a good deal on a great bike.  If you want a clean bike and intend to keep it that way - spend a bit more and buy one that is not corroded or rusty.  It is expensive and time consuming to try and polish them back once the bike has corroded.  If a bit of corrosion and rust doesn't bother you.....then you can most likely get more of a bargain and find one that has been sitting for a while (It all depends on your mechanical abilities and what you want the bike to look like).

Hollis: I paid can $2900 last year for a '08 with 8000 kms. Craigslist Vancouver has an average price of $3500-$4000 for .09-10's low kms. Take it for a run, then grab it!

MnSpring wrote on 09/08/15 at 19:55:12:


↑↑↑↑↑I would do exactly what he said↑↑↑↑↑
I wouldn't even consider the '05.  Very low mileage makes for a lot of potential issues.  Go check out the '06 and put 2k in $20 bills in front of her and say, "I've still got to transport this home".  Settle on $2,200-$2300 and be a proud owner.  With the saddlebags and new tires, you're getting a fine deal at that rate.

I wouldn't fault you for paying the $2,600...New tires is worth about $400 CAD.  If you can't negotiate less then you'd be fine at that price.

The $1600 S40: